In the Nick of Time
by LadyofSpain
Summary: Bella is three weeks away from her due date, and Jacob needs to go hunting for deer. The pack is depending on him. He's reluctant to leave Bella, so she comes up with a plan, which backfires explosively.
1. Chapter 1

In the Nick of Time

**By Lady of Spain**

Chapter 1: On the Hunt

Disclaimer: S. Meyer owns Twilight.

* * *

It was deer hunting season, and the wolf pack was hungry for venison. Quil and Jacob were the two best shots, so it was decided that they should go, along with Embry. Paul wasn't shoddy with a rifle either, but he was too trigger happy, and once took a _pot shot_ at Embry, essentially ruining his tattoo.

Jacob was reluctant to go; Bella was getting closer to her due date, and he was worried about leaving her home alone.

"Jacob," she admonished, "If you're that worried, I'll go see Leah tomorrow, and get her

opinion. There's three weeks left before this baby sets foot on earth. The pack is counting on that meat. I'll be fine."

"Okay, if Leah says you'll be all right, then I'll take her word for it. I still have my doubts though."

Bella smiled lovingly at her sweetheart. "It's the first time father jitters. All new fathers- to-be get a little anxious."

Wrapping his arms around her, Jacob nuzzled her hair, and whispered, "I just don't want anything to happen to you. I'm a nervous wreck when I'm away from you for any length of time. I'll be so glad when that baby makes his appearance."

He corralled her over to the couch, nestled her against his side and turned on the TV to watch their favorite show together.

* * *

The clinic was practically empty. Leah was talking to the receptionist at the desk, when Bella walked in. She looked up, surprised. "What are you doing here, Bella? Your appointment's not until next Monday."

Rolling her eyes, Bella responded. "I need you to settle an argument. Are you busy?"

"Oh, no—I help to deliver babies, not settle domestic disputes. What is it this time? Ya burn his pancakes?"

The look on Bella's face made her drop the teasing. "Guess not. Okay, I'm not busy; c'mon back to an exam room."

They walked in side by side. Bella sat on the examination table and Leah parked on the stool.

Leah didn't hesitate a minute. Her eyes narrowed in annoyance. "You havin' problems with Jacob? I'll go right over to the house and straighten him out for ya."

"No, nothing like that. He's as sweet as ever. The thing is, he needs to help bring home some venison for the pack, but he's afraid to leave me. Sam can't go; he's busy caring for Emily's father. Jared's going out of town to meet some of Kim's relatives. And nobody wants Paul around. That leaves Jake and the gruesome twosome. Do you think if you examined me, I could ease his mind? He'll listen to you."

"You asked for it; get undressed, and I'll pull out the stirrups."

* * *

Leah positioned the gooseneck lamp close to the edge of the table. After feeling around with two fingertips, she finally looked up. "Okay, Tink, it looks like your cervix is pretty much softened, and you've actually dilated to three or four centimeters. That means your labor will probably be shorter. The baby's head is in good position. He's dropped down and really settled in there."

Bella lifted her head from the table, bracing herself on her elbows. "In English, Leah."

Leah removed her latex gloves and washed her hands. She pushed the stirrups back under the table and helped Bella to sit up. "It doesn't mean anything. You could walk around for a month without going into labor. Plenty of women are dilated and still hang on 'til the baby's ready to come. Everybody's different. Then again, you could go into labor this afternoon. I'm a midwife, not a fortune teller."

With a faraway look in her eye, Bella remarked, "Well, I'll leave that last part out. He needs to go. He'll have his cell with him, so I can still contact him if I need to."

* * *

Jacob got up from the couch, pacing. "Sure, sure. C'mon, Bells. You know I trust Leah, but I'm still reluctant to go. Maybe I should send Paul instead."

"Poor Embry. Quil too. Why don't you just paint a target on both their chests?"

"Paul says that was an accident."

"Oh yeah, I heard that he didn't like Embry sniffing around his girl. You still call that an accident."

"No … I call that a coincidence."

She shook her head. "You are so naïve."

"It won't happen again."

Bella's eyebrow rose an inch. "You sure about that?"

Sitting back down beside her once more, he asked, "Why—did you hear something?"

Looking, away with a smirk on her face, she said, "I'm not telling …"

"How do you women always know this stuff?"

"Well, it's like … oh," she grunted, her face contorted.

Jacob grabbed her hand, and quickly knelt in front of her. "You okay?"

"I'm fine; your son just kicked another field goal."

Gently tugging, she moved his hand so that he could feel the squirming child within her womb. His face lit up just like it always did when little hands and feet pushed against the walls of her abdomen. With a nod, and a smile, Jacob declared, "He's gonna be handful, Bells."

"Just like his daddy.

"Now, what were we saying before Liam butt in?"

Jacob kissed her belly, and stood in front of her. "I said, I was gonna send Paul with the guys."

"I don't think that's a good idea. What about Seth?'

"He's too soft-hearted. He won't shoot at a deer. Jeez, I'm stumped."

Her head tilted up at him as she remarked, "How about if I come along on this hunting party? That way, you can be close by if I need you, and Quil and Embry will keep their tattoos intact."

Jacob's hands rose above his head. "I surrender. You are _the_ most stubborn woman on the planet. But I'm tellin' you, if you have one tiny little twinge, you get on that cell phone."

A hand traveled to her forehead in a mock salute. "Yes, sir. Mr. Alpha, sir!"

* * *

The boys loaded up two vehicles—Quil's Jeep Cherokee, and Jacob's Dodge Ram. Jacob was sure to pack along some pillows and a few blankets to keep Bella as warm and comfortable as possible.

Jacob led in the Jeep, Quil and Embry following behind. They set out for Uncle Omni's bungalow in the mountains, so Bella could have a safe place to wait while the boys scouted the area for deer or elk.

There were a few light snow flakes falling as they neared the cabin, giving it wintry aura.

The snow would be thicker in the higher elevations which would make tracking a lot easier. Looked like this might be a great day for hunting.

Jacob made Bella sit on a stuffed chair with her feet up on an ottoman. He then wrapped her in blankets to ward off the cold while his pals gathered up more fire wood. Then he got out his lighter. The kindling caught quickly and the flames spread to the logs piled neatly on the hearth.

"Gosh, it looks so different from the last time we were here … like a winter wonderland. It's so gorgeous. Can we come back after the baby's born?"

Jacob replaced the fire screen, and faced her. "You got it, honey."

He stared dreamily into space, a smile creeping slowly across his lips.

Why was he smiling like that? "I want to know what you're thinking about, Mister."

His eyes zeroed in on hers. "I was remembering when we were here in the spring. You were so beautiful, and I couldn't keep my hands off you."

Bella patted the bulge under her sweater. "I more than remember. We'd only been married four months, and we were both still in _spring training_. And now, here I am, carrying around the results of those passionate nights. You definitely hit a home run."

Jacob closed in, squatting down at her side. "You don't regret it do you?"

Reaching her fingers toward him, she threaded them through his black mane. "I could never regret a single moment that I spend with you. I love you, Jake."

He leaned forward, capturing that sweet bottom lip of hers. While he was busy in this …ahem … activity, Quil walked in with an armload of wood. "Hey, you're a little late with that move. Your bun is already baking in her oven."

Embry came through the front door next, and put a stack of wood chunks in the nearby wire basket, on top of Quil's deposit. "Yeah, none of that. You trying to put her into labor?"

Tipping his head back, Jacob complained, "We're just kissing."

Quil flippantly commented, "That's what started this whole situation. So, unlock your lips, and let's get goin'."

* * *

They were about twenty miles out, when they pulled to the side of the road. Quil and Embry got the rifles off the rack in the rear of the cab, and trudging through the snow, threw one to Jacob.

The snow was coming down heavier now, but they could see clearly, and the frosty nip in the air didn't bother them in the least. They moved as one, quiet, cunning, businesslike. The tracks of a deer were still visible in the white covered ground, and they followed, keeping down wind. Embry saw the antlers rear up first, as the deer sniffed the air, sensing their presence. He motioned silently to his pals. All three hunkered down after a quick prayer to the Great Spirit, thanking him for this gift of meat, and asking forgiveness for taking the buck's life.

Quil was the best shot, so the other two let him take a bead on the animal. The buck began to make a run for it, but Quil was quicker. The rifle rang out, and the deer dropped to the ground, dead. Embry yelled, "I got it," and ran to the beast, hoisting it onto his shoulders.

* * *

The threesome jostled each other, and joked around on the way back to the vehicles. Embry placed the carcass onto the truck bed, and they trussed it up securely.

"Man that was fast," Quil remarked. "We may not get up here anytime soon, so what say we bag another one?"

"Sure, sure, why not? Let me check first to see if my phone's still working okay."

Jacob removed the cell from his jeans pocket, and glanced at it. Everything was in working order. "All right, let's get a move on. This time in the other direction."

They were just about a mile from a ridge where they had hunted before, when Quil shoved Embry playfully. "You better not let Paul know you've been flirting with Val."

"All's fair in love and war," Embry sang. "It's not like he imprinted on her or anything."

"So what? He's gonna pound you—imprint or not."

Jacob laughed. "I don't believe it. Bella said there was something going on. That's why I'm here and brought her along with me. She was afraid that Paul would accidentally shoot you again."

"See that? Even Bella knows that you're messin' in dangerous waters."

"Pfht! I like to see him try it."

Quil stopped, and backed up a pace. "Well, don't expect me to step in front of you, and take the bullet." He shoved Embry with his shoulder for the second time.

Jacob suddenly yelled, "Look out! Trap!"

There was a conibear trap to Embry's right, and he missed it by inches. Unfortunately, he took a tumble in his attempt to sidestep it, and twisted his ankle.

"Oh, man … this is just great."

Gesturing for Quil to shut it, Jacob crouched near Embry and asked, "Can you walk on it?"

Embry stood up leaning a hand heavily on Jacob's shoulder for stability, nearly taking his friend down with him. On the second try, as the two simultaneously rose, the cell phone slipped from Jacob's pocket and slid under a blanket of snow.

* * *

**A/N:** To all my followers … I have just published my first novel, **The Lost Years**, by (my real name), Star Merrill. It's based on two of my fanfic stories, expanded, and with all the Meyerisms removed. It's available in Kindle and paperback edition. Just look for the helicopter on the cover. Thanks for all your reading and reviews. Your encouragement aided me in taking this big step.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Snowfall

Disclaimer: S. Meyer owns Twilight

* * *

Wincing as he put weight on the ankle, Embry groused, "Sh**! I can barely walk on this."

Jacob stood there with his hands thrown up in the air. "Okay, hunting season is over for today. Quil and I will carry you back to the Jeep."

Embry extended his arms, palms out, to stop him. "No you won't. You two go on to the ridge. Just break me off a tree branch, and I'll hobble back to the car myself. Hand over the keys."

His best friend reached into his backpack, unzipped a small pocket, and placed the keys in Embry's palm. "You sure about this?"

"Yeah, I'll see you back at the cabin."

He leaned against a large pine while Quil broke off a good, sturdy branch for the makeshift crutch. With the branch safely under his arm, Embry pivoted and started heading for the Jeep. He waved over his shoulder. "Later, guys …"

* * *

BPOV:

Bella stared at the snowflakes as they softly fell, brushing against the windowpane. It seemed like they were coming down faster. The weatherman said a slight chance of snow flurries, but this looked like it was preparing to turn into a blizzard. Gosh, she hoped they didn't get snowed in; there wasn't that much food in the cabin. Just enough for today. Of course if the guys brought down a deer, there'd be meat for a month, well, maybe not, with the wolves' appetites.

Walking away from the window, she waddled to the chair facing the fireplace. She folded up all the blankets; they were unnecessary since the room was small, and the fire was putting out plenty of heat. She snuggled back into the seat and reached over to the side table. The most recent novel in her collection lay there, and she broke it open and began reading. It was so quiet and relaxing here, not a sound to distract her. The only downside was the constant cramping she felt. Leah called them Braxton Hicks contractions. She'd been having those for weeks, and they'd even kept her awake on and off last night, and accompanied her this whole morning long.

She read a couple of chapters, and her eyes started to droop. What the heck—there was a double bed in the next room, and there was no one here to stop her. Anyway, Jacob was always encouraging her to get enough rest since she was creating another little human being. She put her book down, grabbed a pillow and a blanket and went into the other room, settling on the mattress. It was a bit cooler in the bedroom, just right for sleeping. She drifted off quickly, and slept for about a half an hour when those stupid cramps woke her up … that, and the urge to pee. The little guy was sitting on her bladder, and her trips to the toilet were recently getting more frequent. Oh, the joys of motherhood!

Well, so much for her nap. She threw off the blanket, and got up, trudging to the bathroom. When she was finished, she washed her hands, and flushed the toilet. That's when she noticed the blood swirling in the water. Oh crap, Murphy's Law. This was it … labor day.

Bella took a deep breath. _Okay, don't panic. Just pick up the cell and call Jacob. Easy peasy. _

Punching in the numbers, she waited patiently for him to pick up. It rang and rang, but no Jacob. Did she enter the right number? She tried a second time, with the same results. Maybe something was blocking the signal? They were in the mountains, after all. She'd wait awhile and try again.

The cabinet in the bathroom had a supply of towels, so she slipped one out, and carried it to the chair, not wanting to get blood on the upholstery. With the terry cloth barrier beneath her, she sat awhile, reading her book.

Another half hour went by. There was still no answer to her call. The good news was this pregnancy was her first, so It wasn't like she'd be delivering their baby in the next few hours. By that time, Jacob, Quil and Embry would be back at the cabin, and they'd all be on their way down the mountain and to the clinic.

Feeling restless, she walked into the kitchen area. The cooler they brought along was sitting on the floor, next to the small table. She reached in, got herself a bottle of water, and sipping it, went back to the bedroom. She was sure to snatch the towel off the chair, and place it under her hips before lying down on the bed. There was no other choice for her but to wait. They had to come home soon.

* * *

EPOV:

"Great," Embry grumbled aloud, as he hobbled along toward the SUV. _What use is wolf healing if I'm walking on this stupid foot, re-injuring it with every step?_ He kicked up the snow in frustration with his good foot, sending a cloud of white into the air, and nearly toppling him off balance into a snowdrift. He stopped, and re-positioned the branch under his armpit. Sh**, he was losing out on bagging another deer too. What luck!

A few more yards were covered at a snail's pace, and wouldn't you know it, the snow began coming down heavier, like some joker up in the sky had shaken out the filling from a feather pillow right onto his head. Embry started to laugh. This whole situation was utterly ridiculous. Could things get any worse? He sighed, knowing he still had three more miles to go.

He'd already been at it for over an hour and a half, and the Jeep was just now in sight. He threw the crutch down on the ground as he approached it, and unlocked the door, pulling himself up, using the overhead hold. Guarding his sprained ankle, he gingerly climbed into the driver's seat and keyed the ignition. The engine was cold and it took a couple of tries to rev it up.

There was snow packed around the tires, but he maneuvered the vehicle onto the road without any difficulty. The flakes however were hitting the windshield a mile a minute, making visibility poor. It was going to be a tough slog through all this blinding white.

He turned on the radio, and the sound of the windshield wipers slapping against the glass kept time to the music. His frustration dissipated, and surprisingly, he felt kind of relaxed. Driving slowly through the snow covered mountain road, he was without a care in the world.

Ninety-five minutes later, he pulled up next to the cabin. It looked like a frosted cake, poking up in the middle of a marshmallow-creme meadow. Guess the weatherman had it all wrong. Good thing they left Bella behind. She would've frozen out there in the elements.

He yanked on the handle, and opening the door, climbed out. His ankle seemed okay now, even when he walked, bearing weight on it.

Embry stamped his feet on the welcome mat lying on the porch, shaking off the snow that was caked on his boots. Turning the knob, he opened the door a crack and yelled, "Hey, Bella, it's me, Embry, can I come in?"

* * *

JPOV:

Quil and Jacob crept stealthily to the ridge overlooking a wide open area. They'd come here often during hunting season, and never left disappointed. The twosome hunkered down, lying in wait. The time ticked on by, when finally, the scent of an elk wafted their way, but the animal hadn't come into view yet. They waited in silence, the scope on both rifles weaving back and forth, searching the area for their prey.

A rustle in the nearby shrubs surrounding the meadow alerted them to the beast. Then the crunch-crunch-crunch of his hooves in the snow crusted earth followed. The tips of two horns peeked out from the brush, and soon its head appeared.

Jacob lowered his rifle for a moment, stunned. "Jeez, will you look at the rack on that thing," he whispered.

"That's gotta be the biggest brute I've ever seen," Quil replied. He let out a low whistle. "You wanna take the shot?"

"You're a better shot than I am. Maybe you should do it."

"I don't think you could miss _that_ big a target."

Putting the scope to his right eye, Jacob took aim, but it was too late. The elk could hear their voices. _Sh**, first rule of hunting. Keep your yap shut._

The elk took off, while Quil and Jacob vaulted over the ridge in hot pursuit. The thick banks of snow slowed the animal as well as its pursuers. After a merry chase, they detected sounds of distress. The elk was trapped in a thicket.

Jacob dropped to one knee, and taking careful aim, pulled the trigger. The shot rang out and the animal fell, crushing the tall brush around it, its antlers tangled in the foliage.

* * *

"How the hell are we gonna get this huge beast out of here?" Quil asked.

"Get out your hatchet. We'll have to chop down some of this stuff, and haul him out by the antlers."

It just took a few minutes to cut back the brush, and they quickly had the animal onto a level spot. Then they fashioned a travois, and dragging the elk onto the litter, tied him securely.

The two guys took turns towing the creature back to the ridge. As they cleared it, Quil asked, "What time is it, anyway? It's starting to get dark, and I've got a date tonight."

"It's probably around five-thirty or so. I'll check for sure."

He patted his pockets, his face wrinkled in confusion.

Quil executed an eye roll. "Don't tell me … you lost your phone?"

Jacob continued to pull his pockets inside out. "I brought it with me. You saw it."

"Yeah, but I don't see it now."

"Crap! How do I know if Bella's okay."

"Worry, worry, worry … you worry too much. Let's just get a move on."

Jacob lifted the poles again as Quil yelled, "Giddy up!"

At a full trot, Jacob had one goal in mind: to get this elk in the bed of the truck, and to get back to the cabin and his Bella as soon as possible.

* * *

Getting out their hunting knives, the men began slicing the legs off; then with a saw, cut through the skull to remove the antlers from the animal so it would take up less space in the truck bed. When that was taken care of, they hopped aboard the vehicle, but after keying the ignition, several times in fact, the damn engine wouldn't turn over.

Jacob was beside himself now. "That's it, I'm phasing and running back to Uncle Omni's right this minute."

"Aren't you afraid of someone stealing your truck? Plus all this meat can be _quite_ a temptation."

"The hell with it. Bella's more important. You coming?"

"Nah, I'll stay awhile and see if I can get this thing going. If it's a no go, then I'll phase and follow you."

* * *

The snow-laden trees whizzed by as Jacob raced through the forest, descending down the mountain. His mind was awhirl with the worst-case scenarios. Why did he always think that way? Bella was probably reading a book by the fireplace, or fixing something on the stove for the hungry trio of hunters. In another half hour, he'd be there, and see for himself how foolish he was being.

* * *

EPOV:

Bella came to the door. "Hey, Embry, I thought I heard the Jeep outside. I'm so relieved you're here. I hate to tell you this, but I'm in labor. Can you tell Jake to hurry up and come in here? We need to pack it all up, and load everything. This baby is _coming_."

_Uh-oh. Me—why is it always me? _

"Embry … Why are you looking at me like that?"

Scratching his forehead, Embry replied, "Um, Jake's not exactly out there yet. He and Quil went on ahead to see about bagging another deer."

Her mouth dropped open.

This couldn't be happening. Embry was here … alone with a woman about to give birth. He'd rather face a firing squad.

"Well, can you hold on a little while longer? I think Jake will be here soon."

As an afterthought, he added, "Have you tried calling him?"

_What a dumb question. Of course she did._

"I called him … like four times, and I couldn't get any answer."

Embry walked into the cabin, closing the door behind him. "Let's try again. Sometimes, the mountains kind of interfere with the signal."

He followed her to the side table. Bella handed him the cell, and Embry pushed each button from memory. Nothing. He tried to remain calm, but hell, he did _not_ want to be responsible for delivering his Alpha's baby. He'd helped Uncle Omni with a foal or two, and several calves, but this was a whole different ball game. _Why me …why me?_ his brain screamed silently.

* * *

A/N: I have no idea how to hunt, so I asked a guy who is an Apache and who hunts a lot. He gave me the skinny, and looked at me very amused.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Embry's Plan

Disclaimer: S. Meyer owns Twilight

* * *

BPOV:

Oh gosh, the cramps were getting worse. Maybe she should start timing them? Poor Embry, he looked like he was about to faint. His face paled a bit when she mentioned the word, labor.

"I think you should sit down, Bella."

"But Leah said that walking around was better. It would speed up the labor."

He bobbed his head rapidly. "Like I said … you should sit down."

She couldn't blame him. He just waltzed into this mess. It wasn't like he _wanted_ to be a part of this. Bella didn't want to either, at least not in these particular circumstances. Three more weeks. Couldn't Liam have waited just three more measly weeks? Even tomorrow would have been better.

Bam! Another contraction hit her, this time it was stronger. It meant business. She gasped out loud, and Embry's eyes widened in concern.

He was at her side in a flash and steered her to the chair. "Okay, okay. I've got a plan. In fifteen minutes, I'll try calling Jake one more time. If he doesn't answer then I'm taking you down the mountain myself."

That was not what she had in mind, but she was starting to get really uncomfortable. Bella didn't know how long she could hold out waiting for her sweetheart. Her little one was getting very impatient.

* * *

EPOV:

Embry was always the brains of the group … the rational, calming factor, but right now, he felt anything but. He could conceivably (ooh, that word) deliver this baby, but man, oh man, this was Jacob's baby. Suppose he did something wrong. His best friend would never forgive him.

The next fifteen minutes seemed to crawl by. He jumped the gun and called Jacob a few minutes early. Same ol' response—a whole lot of nothing. By now his heart was in his throat.

Grasping at straws, he told Bella. "If he's not picking up, then maybe he's gone wolf. I'm gonna go outside and phase to see if that's the case."

Bella bent over all at once, holding her abdomen. After a wince, she bit her lip, and nodded at him.

Embry shot out the door and stripped. He looked up at the sky, the soft feather-like flakes coalescing, and melting on his long eyelashes. With his fingers crossed, he prayed, _Please Jake, Get here soon. I don't wanna do this._

He shifted quickly, and broadcast his thoughts." _Jake, if you can hear me, get to the cabin on the double. Bella's gone into labor."_

His head jerked at the sound of his friend's voice._ Embry?_

_Jake! We've been trying to get hold of you. Why didn't you answer your cell?_

_I couldn't find it. It must've slipped out of my pocket somewhere. Then the Ram wouldn't start, so I'm traveling on all fours._

_How far out are you?_

_I should be there in twenty minutes._

_Okay, I'll tell Bella, but if you're not here in time, I'm taking her to the clinic myself._

_I'll try my best … no, I'll be there!_

Embry phased back and donned his clothing. Then he realized, he didn't ask about Quil. Oh well, Jacob would've said something if there'd been any other kind of trouble—yeah, _that_ kind.

Entering the cabin, he gave Bella the news. "Jake's on his way. He lost the cell, and that freakin' truck wouldn't start, so he's hoofing it. He said about twenty minutes. Do you think you can hold on that long?"

"I guess I have to. What other choice do I have?"

Embry knelt beside her, and held her hand. Every once in a while, her breathing changed, and he could tell that's when a contraction was occurring. He helped her to the bathroom, got her a bottle of water, and rearranged the pillows at her back. Still, he felt helpless with every groan that escaped her lips.

He looked out the window one last time, hoping to see a russet wolf. The twenty minutes were up, so it was his responsibility to get Bella safely to the clinic. His Alpha was depending on him; Bella was depending on him.

* * *

JPOV:

_Why did I listen to that idiot, Quil? I could have been with Bells, at the clinic right now. She'd be receiving proper medical care. What was I thinking?_

Jacob stepped up his pace, trying in desperation to make it back in time. All this snow wasn't helping, and dammit, it kept coming down.

Suddenly, up ahead, a white streak flashed across his path. It was almost undetectable in all this fine powder, even with his heightened vision. He caught it by accident out of the corner of his eye. Then he made out another one. No, no, no—it couldn't be. He had to get to Bella; she needed him. Jacob had no time for this. He had to get to her, now. And yet, here it was at the worst possible moment. The sweet scent burned his muzzle, and a red-eyed monster raced straight toward him. They must've been nomads unaware of what Jacob was capable of. _Sh** …_

There were two of them all right, both females, one with light brown hair, the other darker. "What a pretty dog. Such a shame," the first one said, as she got closer. "I guess he'll have to do. I haven't seen a human here in nearly two weeks."

Jacob was practically dizzy as the pair whizzed around, circling him. Damn, there _would_ have to be a pair of them. He stood his ground, hackles raised, and teeth bared.

"Oh, but look, Kendra," the light-haired one hissed. "He doesn't want to cooperate, and I'm sooo thirsty."

"Ya think? I've never seen such a big wolf before. And those teeth, I do believe he means to bite us."

Cleo elicited a tinkling laugh. "Well, go pull on his tail, while I sink my teeth into that luscious throat of his. I'll bet his blood is nice and warm too."

Kendra sped to Jacob's hind quarters, never dreaming that he understood every word that she said. His head whipped around in a flash, as he nipped at her, taking a chunk of marble-hard flesh from her hand before she even managed to grab his tail. _Get away from me, you filthy leech._

Jerking back suddenly, Kendra let out with a wail. "Cleo, do something. He's nearly as fast as we are. Use your powers."

"I am, but they don't seem to be working on him. He shouldn't be able to move at all, and yet he bit you. What kind of wolf is he?

"Damn it, Kendra—blink out why don't you? I've just got to have a drink."

_Blink out? What the hell?_

Cleo shook out her light brown hair in frustration, and catapulted in the air, landing on Jacob's back. The wolf boy, bucked and reared back, pitching her off, and launching her like a torpedo into a tree. He looked behind him, sensing Kendra's presence, but it was like she had disappeared. While he growled, and sniffed trying to find her, Jacob heard a soft chuckle. It was unmistakable, and her scent was as strong as ever, but his eyes saw nothing. Where did she go? She was toying with him, mocking him, her laughter skipping from place to place.

"This is not funny anymore. Stop fooling around, Sis. I'm thirsty!" Cleo shrieked. The she-devil, with a look of pure evil in her eyes, sped toward Jacob, her hands instantly at his neck, attempting to gain access to a river of his rich blood. They tumbled on the ground, each desperate in their own endeavors—Cleo to suck his artery dry, and Jacob to end her and her partner, and get to Bella. The war seemed to go on forever. The vamp was stubborn, set on nothing less than victory.

It was a struggle keeping her away, all the while feeling hands grabbing him by the other now, unseen enemy. Invisible fingers were clawing at him, leaving bloody trails along his flanks and abdomen.

Kendra yelled, "Hurry up and finish him, Cleo. I can't keep this up much longer. I'm starting to lose it. I'll be visible in a few more seconds."

"I'm tr—"

The words died in her mouth. Jacob took advantage of the distraction, and he leaped at her, his sharp teeth clenched on Cleo's neck, ripping her head from her shoulders. Her pretty face was frozen in a look of shock as her head sailed up and over an ice-clad brook, quite a distance from the rest of her remains.

"No!" Kendra screamed in agony. "She was my _sister_."

Jacob wheeled toward the sound. Kendra lost control of her special power at that moment and reappeared a few feet away from him. She lunged at him, and the battle was on again.

* * *

EPOV:

Embry picked up the cell and called Leah. "Hey, girl, can you meet us at the clinic? What do you think? Looks like Jake's baby is about to make an appearance. Why else would we be calling? What? Well, yeah, we're sure. _Real sure_. All right then; see you in about forty-five minutes. Bye."

This was it. He wasn't hanging around a minute more. No sir … Embry Call was not a midwife; he was smart enough to figure that one out. He rushed into the bedroom, and got Bella's jacket, along with the pillows and blankets. After helping her into the sleeves, he took her hand and raised her from the chair. "C'mon, Bella, Jake can catch up with us later. He must've run into some trouble, or he'd be here, but don't worry, he can look out for himself.

"Can you walk?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she murmured in a small voice.

They began walking slowly to the door when Bella stopped, and whimpering, grasped Embry's hand squeezing it tightly. She took a few deep breaths and blew the air out, rhythmically, riding the wave of the contraction. Looking up into Embry's anxious face, she straightened up and said, "Okay, let's go."

When the reached the front entry, she stopped again, motioning back over her shoulder. "Oh gosh, I forgot. Can you get that towel off the chair? We better bring it with us. I don't want to mess up the seat in Quil's car."

_That's the least of my worries. Where the hell is Jake? Did he run into a bloodsucker? God, this cannot get any worse—or can it? Okay, Em, don't think that way; suck it up and be strong for Bella. She needs you now._

_** . . . . . **_

QPOV:

Damn, was this snow ever gonna stop? At least it would ensure that the meat in the truck bed would be refrigerated, but he was getting tired of shaking the flakes out of his eyes. It was so annoying. The heat from his body would melt them, and the liquid was running nonstop into his eyeballs. Crap!

He blew out a puff of air that clouded on contact with the nippy weather conditions, and pulled his hunting knife out of its sheath. His hand skillfully incised a fine line down the belly of the elk, allowing the entrails to spill out. He gave a tug, and they loosened from the internal membranes, then heaved them over the side, figuring his wolf brothers would make a good meal out of it, with no effort on their part. The deer was next to be eviscerated. After the cavity was gutted, Quil wiped the blade of his knife with a nearby rag, and turned his attention to the truck engine.

Quil lifted the hood of the truck, then climbed back inside the cab, and turned the key in the ignition. All he got for his efforts was the sound of click, click, click.

_Okay, now what? If only I had an electric blanket to warm up the battery. Hey, that's it! I'm a genius._

Walking to the front of the truck, he removed the battery cables, and slid it out of the engine. There was a coat setting on the passenger seat. He put on the jacket, and once seated, slipped the battery under it, hoping his body temperature would do the trick. It was ridiculous, sitting there with the black box on his lap. He could think of something or _someone_ better to take up his lap. _Ah … Stacey._ For a full fifteen minutes, he stayed there radiating his heat before he replaced it on its platform.

With the hood slammed shut, Quil, jumped back in the driver's seat, and tried the ignition again. Click, click, click. _Ah—sh**! We'll have to come back tonight and jumpstart her._

Rifling around under the seat, he grabbed an emergency pair of cutoffs lying there. He stripped down, tied the shorts and the truck keys to his ankle and took off. He'd been running only about ten minutes, when that eau de leech drifted on the wind. It was just a lingering odor, but there were definitely vamps in the area recently—two distinct scents. Great—he'd better go warn everyone.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: The Clock Is Ticking

Disclaimer: owns Twilight.

* * *

As they stood in the doorway, Embry turned to her. "Wait here, Bella. I'll get the car."

Embry ran out to the jeep, and started the engine. It took two tries, but it began purring, thank god. He swallowed hard; that would've been all he needed to round out this perfectly awful day.

He let it warm up a few minutes, then went back to his charge, parking the car as close to the cabin entrance as possible. Getting out, he helped Bella climb up into the Jeep, then seating himself, pulled onto the road which was swiftly being erased by the blizzard.

* * *

BPOV:

It was quiet in the car except for sudden gasps whenever Bella got assaulted by another contraction. Despite her pain, she was lost in thought. What did Embry mean when he said Jacob might've run into trouble? What kind of trouble?

Her brain waves made the connection with her mouth, and out it came. "Em, when you said Jake might've run into trouble, did you mean vampire trouble—that kind of trouble?'

Hemming and hawing, he cleared his throat, staring at the road ahead. "Uh … not necessarily, but that's always a possibility. Every now and then, we run across a nomad or two. But you know Jake … if anyone can handle himself, it's Jake."

She couldn't help it; a worried frown found its way onto her face.

Embry glanced at her for a second, noticing that look. "Hey, don't even go there," he chastised. "He'll be fine. You need to concentrate on yourself and having this baby. Jake wouldn't want you worrying about him. Think about holding your little baby in your arms, and how happy you'll make our Alpha."

Bella sucked in a deep breath. Embry was right; she needed to focus her attention on bearing her child. She cleared her mind, and peered out the window. The windshield wipers were struggling to keep the glass unobstructed from the constant barrage of snowflakes.

"Can you see all right?"

Pointing to his eyes, Embry boasted, "Yeah, wolf vision, remember?"

* * *

EPOV:

With his heightened senses, he could hear the thrumming of the baby's tiny heartbeat, which accelerated with each contraction. Unfortunately, he also smelled the fear emanating from her. The pains were getting worse, and more frequent. Embry could sense it, whether or not Bella groaned or said anything about it. She was so stoic, almost as if she was one of them, a Quileute.

The roadway appeared to be getting worse and worse. The poor guy wasn't even sure he was driving _on_ the road. They were halfway to their destination when he heard a loud crack, followed by a rumbling noise. What the hell was that? Embry continued driving, when around a bend, the mystery was solved. An avalanche had thundered its way down, sliding along the mountainside, carrying with it, trees and boulders, and a ton of white powder. The road was cut off ... totally blocked.

If a tree had fallen across the way, Embry could have easily dispatched it, but man, there wasn't a shovel on the planet big enough to plough through this mess. He looked at Bella, a lump rising in his throat. Her eyes were closed. He realized that she was resigned to the fact that she would give birth back at the cabin with only Embry in attendance. It was up to the two of them to see this through.

* * *

QPOV:

Quil had only gone a few miles, when his mind linked with Jacob's. He was too late to give Jacob a warning. It was already a reality. He saw the desperate fight that was going on. Jacob was engaged in an all out war with a dark-headed, female tick that seemed determined to destroy his best friend.

Jacob howled a distress call, and Quil answered in kind. _Jake, I'm coming!_

_Hurry, I can't hold on much longer. This leech keeps disappearing on me. I've gotta get out of here, Bella's in labor._

Letting another loud baying sound escape, Quil rushed forward toward his buddy.

* * *

JPOV:

At the sound of the other wolf boy's cry, Kendra looked startled and suddenly stopped her attack. She pivoted and began racing away from him. Jacob followed on her heels, not wanting her to get anywhere near the cabin, but she blinked-out once more, and he was running in circles searching for her.

_I can't find her, Quil. She's vanished again._

_No problem. You go on down the mountain; I'll track her, and bring back her ashes. Now go!_

_I've gotta burn the other's remains first, then I'll go._

* * *

Jacob hated what he had to do. It was one more obstacle in his way to joining Bella, but it was his duty, so he returned to his human form, and dug in the zippered pocket of his cutoffs for his lighter. He quickly scooped out a large circle of snow, under the shelter of a huge tree, and collected some kindling, hoping it was dry enough to burn.

He trotted across the ice covered stream to retrieve the female's head, then dragged the rest of her body, piling it on top of the wood. Thank goodness the flame from the lighter spread to the corpse, the canopy of the overhanging branches protecting the fire pit from the worst of the snow. Soon a sweet smelling purple smoke rose from the pyre. He had to stay, ensuring that the bloodsucker was completely consumed, and unable to resurrect herself.

When nothing but ash remained, he used a flat rock to dig in the soft dirt, being certain to cover every inch of the monster, as he buried her. Finally with the job done, he went wolf, and tore off like a jet toward the clinic.

* * *

BPOV:

The huge pile of snow and debris sat in the middle of the road. It looked like a giant bowl of white frosting had been dumped there. There was certainly no way around it. The fact remained, they had to turn back.

It was quite a job, getting the Jeep turned around, but somehow he pulled it off. Then there were several instances when the Jeep slid on some icy-slick areas, even with the snow-chains on. Luckily, Embry had such fast reflexes, that they didn't slam into any nearby trees.

She shot a sidelong glance at the wolf boy. His jaw was set in determination. Her safety was in his capable hands. But what about delivering her baby?

Bella made up her mind. She could do this. She was strong enough. Her own great grandmother had born six children, and two of them without any aid at all. Bella was not alone; at least she had Embry, and Jacob could trust him with her life. Poor Embry, what must he be thinking?

As her mind went round and round, her thoughts were interrupted by her cell's ringtone. It was Leah.

"Hey, Bella, I thought you'd be here by now. Where are you?"

"I'm almost back at the cabin."

"What? The cabin? Why are you going back there?"

"Embry tried to get us off the mountain, but the road got blocked by a ton of snow."

"Gawd—Murphy's Law.

"Okay, here's what we'll do. As soon as you get to Omni's, you call me, and I'll tell Embry what needs to be done. You got that?"

Bella sighed. "Yeah, I got it."

"You can do this, Bella. I know you can. It'll be just like I'm there in person."

Embry took his eyes off the road for a moment, and looked at her. "What did Leah say?"

"She wants us to call her when we get to Omni's. She'll tell you what to do."

* * *

In just a few more minutes, the cabin would be in sight. Bella was doing her breathing just like Leah taught her, but it didn't seem to be helping much anymore. God, how much stronger were these pains going to get? She was starting to get a little frightened, and through it all, her mind kept returning to the unanswered questions—where was Jake? What happened to him?

It was difficult, and she tried not to cry out when a contraction started; but sometimes it just escaped no matter what. The pains were now nearly coming one on top of another. Bella was in the middle of a long hard one, when the Jeep stopped in front of Omni's.

Embry ran to the passenger side, and took one look at her, with her face all contorted. He put an arm about her shoulders, and slipped the other one under her legs, carrying her into the cabin, and back to the bedroom.

When she caught her breath, she doffed her jacket, after retrieving the phone.

* * *

"Leah, we're back."

"Okay, Bella. Now put Embry on."

He took the cell from her and while listening, nodded his head. "I think I got it. Yeah, I'm pretty sure I saw some in the bathroom. What about after? My hunting knife is pretty sharp, will that do? Shoelaces? Oh, I get it. I'll see if there're any in the kitchen drawers. Okay, I'll call you back if I have any questions. Thanks, Lee."

He smiled, giving Bella a thumbs up. "Peace of cake."

The smile faded when she began looking all business again. Her face normalized after a minute or so, and she began pulling off her pants. Embry's head jerked, his eyes bugged, and he quickly turned his back to her.

"He's gonna kill me."

"He's not going to kill you, Em, but I've got to get these jeans and my panties off. There's no way you can deliver this baby if they're still on. I need your help. I can't get them down far enough. Oh god, here comes another one."

Bella reached out to him, putting her arms tightly about his neck, her head against his chest, groaning into it. She hung there until the pain subsided. As she let go, Bella noticed that he had his eyes closed. Embry then proceeded to slide her Levis and her underpants the rest of the way down her legs.

"Okay, they're around your ankles; you can step out of them now."

He held her hands for balance while she kicked off what was left of them.

Turning away from her again, he tugged on the bedding, doubling it back so she could get in. Once tucked inside, her emotions erupted, and the tears began to fall. "Oh, Embry, I'm so sorry ... for all of this. It's all because of my own stubborn stupidity. I should have stayed home so Leah could take care of me. And now you're stuck here being a nursemaid to your best friend's woman."

She suddenly quit speaking, and sucked in a breath. "Nooo …" Bella clenched the sheets in her fists while another pain washed over her.

The mattress creaked as Embry sat beside her, rubbing his warm hands up and down her arms, in an attempt to soothe her. When Bella's breathing leveled out, Embry stood up. "I'm gonna go out to the Jeep and get the other blankets and pillows."

Bella grabbed his hand. "Oh god. Please don't leave me … Em, don't leave me."

"It'll be okay, Bella. I'll only be gone a minute."

* * *

EPOV:

Embry returned with his arms full. He placed two pillows behind her back. Bella took a blanket from him, and folding it, placed it underneath herself, and not a moment too soon. Her water broke, and the blanket was almost saturated. He pulled the rest of the bedding away from the foot, pushing it up toward her thighs in preparation for the delivery, and removed the sodden fabric from under her.

After dropping the soiled blanket into the shower stall. He washed off the blade of his knife, then Embry scrubbed his hands thoroughly, just like Leah had told him, and with a bottle of alcohol he found in a cabinet, drenched his hands in the stuff. Carrying it with him, he set it and the knife on a chair, moving it close to the bed.

Back at her side, he felt her heart speed up. "Oh, no—he's coming! I feel like I need to push. Embry, oh god, Embry, help me."

_Oh sh** … this is it! She's pushing._


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Sliding into home

Disclaimer: S. Meyer owns Twilight. Banner by LOS

* * *

QPOV:

Following the curling ribbons of purple smoke, Quil arrived at the makeshift crematorium. Jacob's scent lingered there, but it was obvious that it'd been awhile since he left. Hopefully he would be reunited with Bella soon. The wolf boy honed in on another scent—the scent of that black-haired demon that was giving Jacob such a hard time. He hoped that he would make her regret it.

There was no time to lose. He was on her trail immediately, but Jacob was right, she was almost as elusive as that freakin' redhead from years ago. She not only was pulling a disappearing act, but it seemed she kept doubling back on herself, attempting to throw off any trackers. His ace in the hole was, she hadn't spotted him yet, so maybe she would think he was just an ordinary—but big wolf—and let down her guard a bit.

Quil continued searching. He came to a spot where the pine needles were scattered about, and little mounds of snow dotted the area to suggest she had been traveling in the tree tops. Finally he saw her. One minute, all that were there were her footprints, and the next, her form appeared as if magically. This was unreal; it was magic though, wasn't it?

Kendra probably had detected his odor, because as he sped up, so did she, and damn, she was heading straight for the cabin. Sh**, Bella was in the process of giving birth, that meant blood—lots of it. And that meant the vamp was licking her lips in anticipation. He spurred himself onward. No way was he going to let that creature suck the life out of his Alpha's child.

* * *

JPOV:

Was he seeing things? Looming up ahead, the Jeep was still sitting there outside the cabin. What the hell? They should be at the clinic by now. Were they waiting for him to return? He was ready to wring Embry's neck, but when he got closer, he heard Bella let out a cry. Embry's voice was calm, trying to encourage her. He could smell the essence that surrounded a birth, and he gave one final burst of speed.

Embry's voice rose and he overheard him say, "He's here."

Shifting back, right on the doorstep, he practically exploded through the entry and rushed into the bedroom.

"Jake, Jake …" she wailed, trying to sit up.

"I'm here, honey, I'm here."

She cried out again as another pain assailed her.

Embry pivoted his head around to look at Jacob. "Go wash your hands and hurry if you want to deliver your own baby. You just made it in the nick of time. He is _coming_—and soon. I can see his head starting to crown.

"Keep pushing, Bella. You're doing great. When Jake gets back in the room, I'll help you to squat. Leah says that will make the baby move down faster. And only a few more pushes and he'll be in Jake's hands.

"Jake," he yelled over his shoulder, "make it snappy!"

Jacob hurriedly washed his hands, making sure to do a thorough job of it. Embry got off the bed, and poured some alcohol on Jacob's hands and arms. He traded places with his Alpha, and slid behind Bella, helping her to get into a better position.

His heart was threatening to jump out of his chest, he was so excited … and scared … and bubbling over with anticipation.

Bella grunted loudly, and pushed. "That's it, Bells. Push, push, push. I can see the top of the little guy's head. He has black hair just like me. C'mon, sweetheart, a little bit more."

"I'm trying, I'm trying. I'm just so tired."

"Glaring at Jacob, she blurted, "I don't care if you're crawling on your knees begging me … we are never having sex again—ever."

His buddy rolled his eyes, then winked, as if to say, _She says that now, but just wait._

Her head lolled back against Embry's chest. "I'm too tired, I can't push anymore."

"Just one more, Bells, just one more."

"Huuuuh …" she whimpered. "Here comes a big one, oh god …"

"That's it! There's his head, it's peeking out."

Embry cautioned him, "Don't pull on him now. Leah said to support the head, and he should turn on his own. Then he should just slide out."

One more effort from Bella and his fist born slipped right into Jacob's hands. "Bella," he exclaimed. "It's Liam, we have a ourselves a boy!"

His son wailed loudly, squirming in his hands, all pink and perfect. Tears were streaming down Jacob's face, as he kissed his son's pudgy cheek. Bella's arms were immediately reaching out for her infant. "Let me see him."

Embry scooted out from behind Bella, and handed Jacob a blanket. The proud father placed his little one on top of Bella's abdomen, and covered them both with it. Embry took that as his cue to leave the couple alone for a few moments of privacy. Taking his hunting knife with him, he looked like it was all matter of fact, but Embry suspiciously turned his face away as he left. His Alpha still didn't miss the tear that his friend had wiped away from his cheek.

Bella looked over her newborn then gazed into Jacob's warm brown eyes. "Oh, Jacob, he's beautiful. Have you ever seen such a beautiful baby?"

Her sweetheart choked out, "Never."

Jacob got closer to Bella, and leaned over her. In his eyes, she'd never looked more stunning. Kissing her forehead, he whispered, "I love you, honey. I'm sorry I almost missed this. I'll tell you about it later."

Scrutinizing him, she couldn't help but notice the healed pink claw marks on his torso. Sheepishly, he remarked, "Yeah … later."

* * *

EPOV:

Embry collapsed onto the stuffed chair in the other room. Man, he was glad that was over. Never again. He would never go anywhere with a lady that close to delivering. This experience was once in a lifetime, and he didn't care to repeat it. He exhaled loudly and walked over to the fireplace, peering at the flames as they licked at the logs on the hearth. Crouching before it, he extended his arm, rotating the edge of the knife in his hand, letting the fingers of fire envelope the blade and sterilize it. Then he went to the kitchen searching for some shoelaces in the junk drawer. There weren't any, so he returned to the bedroom.

"Hey, Jake, time to cut the cord," he said, while handing the knife to Jacob. "Leah says we need some shoelaces. Do you know if there's any here in the cabin?"

"No, but I'm pretty sure Quil always keeps a spare in his glove compartment. Did you look out in the Jeep?"

With one finger in the air, Embry said, "I'll be right back."

Sure enough, Quil had a brand new pair of laces for his boots right where Jacob said they would be. Embry kissed the cellophane pak and waltzed through the cabin door. _Eureka, I found them._

After running more alcohol over the blade, Jacob sliced through the cord as Embry tied it off.

* * *

JPOV:

The ring tone went off, and this time Jacob answered. "Hey, Leah."

"Hey, yourself. Where in the freakin' hell have you been?"

"Long story. But the good news is I made it in the nick of time, and it's a boy."

"Well, good for you. Did everything go all right?"

"Like clockwork. Bella says from now on, I'm being exiled from our bed though."

Leah laughed. "All new mothers say that. Then amnesia conveniently sets in. She'll change her mind the first time you give her that smoldering look of yours.

"I'll try to be there first thing in the morning, with food, clothing, and a crew wielding snow shovels."

"Snow shovels?"

"Yeah—didn't Embry tell you? There was an avalanche and they couldn't get off the mountain.

"Well, I'm goin' back to bed. Bye, bye, Daddy, and congratulations."

The line went dead, and Jacob proceeded to help Bella clean up. With that done, he reverently gathered up the placenta and cord for later burial in his native soil, placing it in a plastic garbage bag.

A hand clapped him on the shoulder when he finished. "So, you named him, Liam, huh?"

"After my dad, yup!"

Bella was crooking her finger at him. When he got close enough, she drew his ear to her mouth, and whispered something.

"What do you think of this, Em. Bella would like to name our child, Liam Embry Black."

His friend appeared to be horrified. "The poor kid. You can't be serious. Don't tag him with that moniker."

Bella protested, "I just wanted to honor you for taking such good care of me."

"Well, then use my middle name."

She leaned forward. "Which is …?"

In a low voice, he said, "Thomas."

Jacob stood up, looking confused. "How come I never knew that?"

"I didn't want you guys teasing me, calling me ET, the extra terrestrial, or even etc. So, do me a favor; keep this under your hat. If Quil finds out, I'll never hear the end of it. Which reminds me … where is he anyway?"

A grin formed on Jacob's face. "Out girl chasing."

"Up here, in the mountains? What is she, a lost hiker?"

"No … more like the reason for lost hikers—_permanently_ lost hikers."

He shot a quick glance at Bella to see if she picked up on that.

"Gotcha."

While Bella nursed the infant, Jacob followed Embry out to the living room.

"That vamp must be giving him quite a chase," Embry commented.

"You don't know the half of it. That leech had the power to render herself invisible. If Quil hadn't phased and answered my distress call when he did, I'd be there, still tangling with her, or worse yet, dead. Jeez, she was trouble, with a capital T. I hope he caught up with her and burned her to a crisp … filthy tick!"

Jacob got up from his chair, and walked to the window, looking out. The snow had let up in the last hour or so, and now started up once more, coming down in sheets.

* * *

BPOV:

Bella had finished feeding Liam, and set him in a blanket laden drawer which Jacob had yanked out of the old dresser that stood in the corner. She returned to bed after stroking his silky hair, and nearly fell asleep when she felt a sudden cold breeze. Looking to her left, she noticed the window was open. A voice in her head told her to check the drawer. Liam was missing. How could that be? She'd just barely put him in there.

She heard a ruckus in the other room, and heard Jacob say, "Do you smell that?"

"Yeah."

Jacob almost ran over the furniture to see if Bella was all right. His blood froze as he stared at his sweetheart, her fingers covering her mouth. "Tell me you have Liam," she stammered. Her scream filled the room when she realized by the look on his face that he didn't.

Embry and Jacob were on all fours so fast, they very nearly broke the cabin door off its hinges.

**. . . . .**

_It was her—the vamp I told you about. I recognized her stench._

_We'll find her, Jake. Don't worry. We'll get Liam back too._

_Why didn't we notice her scent earlier though?_

_I don't know, maybe the heavy snowfall masked it. I can't think anymore. Let's just find her quick. My baby is just a little bitty thing; he won't survive in this weather._

Quil's thoughts came out of nowhere. _Guys, what's goin' on?_

Jacob couldn't answer. He was wracked with worry.

Embry piped up. _It's that leech that you two were after. Bella had the baby, and the tick ran off with it._

_Whaaaaat? Sh**! We've gotta stop her._

His Alpha finally offered, _The only thing in our favor is our numbers. She can't fight us all off, and she can only remain unseen for a few minutes at a time. But I'm telling you guys, I'll let her go if she will just give my son back to me. Now, let's go._


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Digging Out

Disclaimer: S. Meyer owns Twilight

* * *

QPOV:

Quil ran faster than ever before. Time was of the essence. His Alpha's child was in danger. The area he had entered was less blustery, and the snow had decreased to only a slight flurry. Ahead of him, he made out the form of that nasty parasite, carrying a bundle in her arms. Inexplicably, she lay the bundle down in the hollow of a tree, glanced his way, and jetted out of view.

Hurrying toward the tree, Quil heard the cries of the newborn. He quickly placed a few small branches of pine on the ground, and covered it with his cutoffs. He shifted for a few seconds to put the shivering child on the pallet, then re-shifted and wound his body around the baby to keep him warm.

He howled to his pack mates, and sent out the news_. I've got your son, Jake. The vamp took off. I guess she didn't wanna deal with us. I'm over by the roadside, where the old trapper's shed used to be._

* * *

JPOV:

Embry and Jacob assembled a litter to carry Quill and the baby that was snuggled in his fur. No one complained about how heavy Quil was. His body temperature had saved little Liam, and Jacob would not forget that.

They all heard the sound of Bella weeping as the threesome neared the cabin. Her cries turned to tears of joy when they marched in, holding her new reason for living.

Jacob took Liam from Quil, removed the previous blanket and wrapping him in a warm dry one, handed him to Bella. She kissed his tiny face over and over, cooing to him. "Thank you, guys. I'm not really sure what happened, but thank you.

"C'mere, Em … you too, Quil. "She took Embry's arm, and bent him lower so she could kiss his cheek, repeating it all for Quil.

Embry turned bright red, and rubbed the spot where her lips touched. He sighed, and said, "Well, Quil and I got work to do. There's a lady-leech kidnapper on the loose, and we're gonna go get 'er if it takes all night." With that, he and Quil left.

Bella sat up straight. "A vampire? Here? Jake, is that how you got all scratched up? Is that what kept you so long?"

Rubbing the back of his head, Jacob confessed, "Well, I guess now's as good a time as any. I didn't wanna upset you, but looks like you're already pretty upset."

The bed creaked as he sat beside her. "I was on my way here when I smelled that awful stench those vamps put out. There were two of them, and they wanted a piece of me, that's for sure. One of them fled when she heard Quil howling. I'd already killed off the other, so I guess she didn't wanna end up a puff of purple smoke too. Anyhow, she was really tricky, and kept vanishing into thin air. It was weird, the first leech said she had the power to freeze me in my tracks, but it didn't work for some reason. I'm thinking that it was because she was trying to wield her power over me, whereas, the other one's power was over herself. I could see her, and then not; it was something physical.

"The leech probably came through the window. You couldn't see her, but Em and I both caught her scent." His voice cracked. "She took Liam, but thankfully gave him up. Quil assumes she was afraid to take on all three of us. He also reasoned that she didn't attack you when she realized we were in the other room. Our son was just a snack to her, but we were on her so fast, there was no time for her to enjoy it."

Bella searched his eyes. "Do you think she'll come back?"

"No way—she knows who rules _this_ roost."

Jacob gave her a wry smile. Bella put the infant down next to her, and snaking her arms about his neck, kissed his ear, and hung onto him tightly. "I can't imagine why I ever entertained the notion to be one of them. They're disgusting creatures with no regard for life … human or otherwise."

She reared back, gazing deep into his eyes. "Oh, Jake. I don't know what I wouldn't done if they had killed you. And our little boy would be without his father."

"Hey, hey, hey … none of that. I'm here with you now. Liam's fine, and Quil and Embry are in their glory, tracking the tick."

Their lips met, and when they separated, Jacob smirked at her.

"What?"

"Does this mean I'm not banished from your bed anymore?"

"Did I really say that?"

"Trust me, you said it. Em heard it too."

"I was hurting. It was the pain talking."

"Good, 'cuz I don't think I could stay away from you any longer than necessary."

The conversation was interrupted by a tiny child, crying for his mother.

Jacob picked him up, and rubbing noses with him, said, "Okay, Liam, she's all yours … for now."

* * *

EPOV:

_What was it like?_

Embry slowed his pace a bit._ What was what like?_

_You know … delivering a baby._

_I didn't. Jake got there in the final stage. It took a few pushes, and the baby was there. You should've seen his face. He looked like he could fly under his own power. It was beautiful, man._

Quil nodded his big furry head. _I'd like to have a kid someday. I'd show him how to hunt and fish._

_Me too. Then all the kids could play together, and you and I'd be Uncle Quil and Uncle Embry. But you know you might not have any boys._

_In that case, I'll teach them self defense against the likes of your brood of hooligans._

Embry bumped his buddy's shoulder playfully, but Quil's ears stood straight up, then his head jerked to one side_. Did you see that? _

_What?_

_Over there … like an outline of a person. I think we got her._

The two split up, Quil going forward to head her off. He planned to chase her toward a ravine where Embry waited to capture the fugitive.

Kendra reappeared, startled to see Quil blocking her off, running toward her, trapping her in a narrow chasm. She pivoted, running the other direction, but Embry was there to stop her. She blinked-out as he lunged ahead anticipating her move, and felt his teeth clamp onto something solid. The vamp shrieked in frustration, not able to move as Embry refused to loosen his hold on her. If he tore her hardened flesh away, she'd be gone again in a flash.

_Care to join me, Ateara?_

_My pleasure, Call._

It was a weird experience, as the wolf boys tangled with the leech. The snow flew in the air as she struggled, but they still couldn't see anything. Finally, with her invisibility abating, a body began to take shape. The boys didn't wait for it to be fully visualized.

_Off with her head!_

_After you, Em._

It was over in a few seconds, and once more the air was awash with sweet-smelling plumes of smoke.

* * *

The two wolf boys swaggered into the cabin, appearing smug to say the least. Quil yelled, "Hey, Jake …"

"Shh!" Embry chided. "You'll wake up the baby."

Quil grimaced. "Oh … sorry, I forgot."

Jacob came out of the bedroom with a finger to his lips. "Jeez, could you guys be any louder? We just got Liam to sleep, and Bella needs her rest too."

"You tell him, Jake."

"Well, sorry, I got a little excited. Did you see the smoke? We got the she-devil. She's been _disappeared_ for good."

"Man, she was a real trip and a half," Embry touted. "I hope we never _not-see_ another one like her again.

"Hey, good one, Em. She was a _not-see_—I like that."

"That's a relief. Bella was afraid she might come back."

Jacob sprawled out on the chair. "You guys hungry? I already made Bella eat something, but there's still some chicken left. It's in the cooler. Help yourself."

Embry stuck his arm out to stop Quil. "Maybe we should wait. That's the last of the food, and we can't get down off the mountain with the road cut off."

"We can always butcher that elk," Quil offered.

"Hold it, guys. Leah called, and she's coming in this morning with groceries and a snow plow."

"Good thinking … for a girl."

Frowning at his friend, Jacob balked, "Don't be dissing the fairer sex, I'm married to one you know."

Embry pondered all the happenings for that day. _Boy, do I ever._

* * *

LPOV:

She had called the highway department the following morning about the snow and debris sitting in the middle of the mountain road, making it urgent since, in fact, there was a new mother with no food and medical care stuck in the aftermath of this blizzard. It was amazing how fast everything came together. Leah needed to get up there, and she didn't own a snow plow. Miraculously, she'd now have one at her disposal.

The car was packed with all the newborn and mother necessities, along with a change of clothes for Bella, and a couple of bags of groceries.

Leah led the way to the cabin, and looking behind her, saw the snow plow, a reporter for KQUI, the rez's radio station, and a crew from KTAC, the news station at Tacoma. Never a dull moment in the life of the wolf pack.

* * *

It was slow going as the altitude increased. The snow was deep, and the air was freezing cold. At one point, she had to pull off the road and let the snowplow go on ahead to clear the way. She shook her head. Bella sure picked a great time to join Jacob's hunting party.

Half way up the mountain, they were met with the mound of snow and trees and boulders lying across the road. The people in her entourage got out of their vehicles; the reporters' cameras clicking away.

The driver of the snow plow stood there beside his machine. "Hate to tell you this, lady, but there is no way in hell, I can even begin to cut through all this stuff."

Leah was not one to quit. "There's got to be some way to get to that cabin. If we can't go through it, can we go around it?"

The man stopped mid-chew on his smelly cigar. "You've been up to this place before. Is there room on the right side here to skirt this mess? I don't fancy tipping over and rolling down the slope. They don't pay me enough."

Holding onto her scarf that was threatening to fly off, she told him, "There's plenty of room to go around. That's a great idea. I'll guide you."

"Okay, sister. Ya got guts, I'll say that for ya."

She grabbed a pair of tall snow boots out of her trunk, and put them on, then waved to the driver to follow her. As she walked along, she sometimes had to lift her legs up as high as they would go. The snow was reaching to her thighs in several spots. Gawd, why didn't she bring a pair of snow shoes with her? Good thing the cold didn't bother the wolf girl, or her teeth would be chattering by now.

The reporters continued taking notes and shooting pictures as Leah and her driver painstakingly carved out an alternate path for the caravan. The swath wound around the avalanche, and finally linked up with the original roadway. The driver gave Leah a thumbs up, and she ran back in the recently cleared highway, and climbed into her car, waving at the others to follow her.

* * *

A/N: Today's the day. The Lost Years Kindle edition is available for free starting today, until the 22nd. Get 'em while they last.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: To the Rescue

Disclaimer: S Meyer owns Twilight

* * *

The cabin was practically submerged in the white powder. It looked like a gingerbread house all covered in meringue. Leah was surprised she even found the place. It was unrecognizable. If it wasn't for the Jeep parked outside, she couldn't even be sure she was in the right place.

Trucking along, she motioned to the reporters behind her, leading them to the doorway. Damn, all this fluffy stuff was masking the scents she knew so well. She finally caught a whiff of Quil as she pushed through the snow. He was trying to scoop the stuff away from the front entrance, when she waved to him.

He looked up from his task. "Hey, Leah." His head swept from side to side taking in the _tourists_, with their camera snapping pictures of the place. "You made it, but what's with all the visitors?"

"They wanted to get the story. This is big news." Leah raised her hands above her head, both forefingers and thumbs in the shape of an L. "_Avalanche traps woman about to give birth. With no food and freezing temperatures, young mother faces nature undaunted, and bears child unaided by medical science_."

One of the guys tapped her on the shoulder. "Can I use that quote, Miss Clearwater?"

Shaking her head and smiling, she said, "Knock yourself out.

"Okay, boys, you can interview Bella first, but only for a few minutes. I have to examine her and be sure she's all right. Five minutes, that's all, if she's willing."

Hector, the snow plow driver, yelled from the vehicle. "I'll stay here and wait. You might need me on the way out again."

* * *

QPOV:

Another reporter gazed quizzically at Quil. Aren't you cold out here with no shirt or shoes on?"

"Nah, my buddies and I are all members of the Polar Bear Club."

The man pulled the cap off the lens of his video cam. "So tell me, sir, what was your part in all this?"

"Not sir … name's Quil Ateara. Q-u-i-l A-t-e-a-r-a. Well, we were out hunting deer, and my friend, Jake, was nervous about getting back to Bella ... that's the gal that had the baby. Anyway, the damn truck engine wouldn't turn over, so I stayed behind, gutting the animals, and then trying to get it started. It wouldn't budge, so after that, I walked to the cabin, following after Jake.

"You both had to walk all those miles in the blizzard?"

"Yup, it was a test of my strength and endurance, but I got through it. That's the kind of guy I am." He flexed his biceps blatantly, and winking, blew a kiss at the camera.

Averting his eyes, the man muttered, "Oooookaaaay," turned the camera off, and replaced the lens cap, finished with the interview. He walked into the bungalow, on the heels of the other people.

Just then Quil ran up to the snow plow and banged on the window. Hector jumped a mile. He apparently had fallen asleep. "Hey, do you think you could give me a ride. I need to jump-start Jake's pick up."

"Sure, hop in. Wait … dontcha think you should get some clothes on first? "

_What's with these people? They all have a freakin' clothes fetish._

He found some of Harry's old duds in a closet, and a pair of boots that were two sizes too small; he squeezed into them anyway. The jumper cables were in the floor compartment of the Jeep, but Hector shouted. "I've got my own. In my business, ya gotta have 'em handy. So, let's get rollin', huh?"

* * *

JPOV:

Jacob was lost in thought, just staring at the miracle in his wife's arms. Bella jostled him with her elbow.

His head jerked. "Huh?"

"What's going on in that head of yours, Black?"

Rubbing his forehead, he told her, "I was wondering what we should do about telling our families."

"I am not telling them anything until we're safe at home. My mom will freak out if she finds that we're stuck in a snow drift. As soon as we get to La Push, I'll call everyone and give them the news."

* * *

He sensed Leah's presence as soon as she stepped through the entry to the cabin, but who were all the rest of these people? The noise of the group filled the tiny living room with an energetic buzz.

Leah opened the bedroom door and stuck her head in the crack. "Hi, Mommy," she said. "I guess you're wondering what all the commotion is about in the other room."

"It occurred to me."

"They're just some reporters that came with me to do an interview. You're big news. I told them five minutes, max, but you can refuse to talk to them if you don't want to do it."

Jacob interrupted, and stood up from the bed, clearly irritated. "She's been through hell, Lee. I can't believe you brought this mob with you. She's in no shape to be answering stupid questions."

Bella took his hand, squeezing it. "Jake … please."

"No … it's okay, Bella. I understand where he's coming from. He's just upset and rightly so, but the truth is, I had nothing to do with all this. When I requested the snow plow, the media somehow got wind of it, and bingo—I had a freakin' caravan trailing behind me, snaking up the mountain."

Bella nodded. "It's fine, Jake. She handed Liam to Jacob. "Here, take the baby. You can let them come in now, Leah."

* * *

BPOV:

When the door opened, the reporters made a mad dash into the room, jockeying for position.

The cameraman moved in closer, lining up his shot. "Just relax, folks, I'm Rick, and the gal with the microphone is Ann."

Shoving a mike in Bella's face, the female newslady from KTAC asked, "When did you first recognize for sure that you were in labor?"

After taking a calming breath, Bella answered, "I'd been having what they call Braxton Hicks contractions for weeks. So I didn't think anything of it when then started in again yesterday morning. By mid morning, they began to get stronger. That's when I knew this baby was on his way."

The lady nodded, and continued her line of questioning. "What were your feelings when you realized that you were snowed in, and couldn't get to medical help?"

What a dumb question. She glanced at Jacob who was rolling his eyes. "Of course I was scared, but I had Embry with me, and I knew he would do his best to help me."

"Embry's your husband?"

She turned her head and smiled at her sweetheart. "No—Jake's my husband. Embry's the guy in the other room."

Like a cattle stampede, several reporters bolted out the door to interrogate Embry.

Again, Ann inquired, "And where was Jake all this time?"

"He'd been delayed. His truck was dead, and he was stranded, so he had to walk to get here. Jake nearly missed seeing his son born."

The reporter now turned her attention to Jacob, holding the mike close to him. "How did you feel, knowing that an amateur was about to deliver your child?"

"Embry's my best friend. He wouldn't let anything happen to Bella. I was just thankful he was here to be with her.

"I actually helped deliver my son. I got to the cabin just as Liam's head began to appear."

"And, how does it feel to be a first time father?"

Jacob grinned, and kissed Liam's forehead. "It's the greatest feeling in the world."

Ann lowered the microphone, and stepped back a pace. "Well, thank you all for your cooperation." The other reporters continued to enter notes in their devices.

Leah piped up, "Any more questions. If not, then thanks for coming, but I have a job to do."

Ann and Rick shook hands with Jacob and Bella and left the room, along with Leah and the remaining reporters.

* * *

EPOV:

_Here it comes. _It was inevitable. The heat rose in Embry's cheeks, as the newsmen furiously took down all his statements. They all stood around him as he sat on the hot seat, surrounding him like a pack of vultures.

"Had you ever delivered a baby before?" one asked.

Embry's fingers were nervously tapping on the arm of the chair. "Not a human baby, no … just a calf or a foal a couple of times."

"What was going through your head during all this?" another inquired.

"I was praying that Jake would show up. I was afraid that something might go wrong, but at the same time, I had to forget about myself and be strong for Bella. She was scared enough as it was without me gettin' hysterical."

"Do you think you might ever help deliver another baby?" the first reporter said.

"Not on your life. I was so shook after this experience that I might not even wanna _make _a baby, let alone, deliver one."

That response got a chuckle. A third man, touted, "Well, you seem to be the hero of the day. Congratulations."

At that moment, the TV cameraman, Rick, his partner, and Leah returned to the living room. Ann gestured to the others. "C'mon guys. I think we're done here." They all filed out of the cabin, and back to their vehicles. Tooting their horns, they were on the road and on the way down the mountain.

Embry's head hit the backrest of the chair in relief. Leah walked toward him, with one finger pointed in his direction. "Don't get too comfortable there, Em. I need you to get the groceries, and my newborn kit out of my car. And then, you can make us all something to eat."

He didn't mind. Even Leah's bossing didn't faze him. At least it was a normal everyday type of thing he could do. He didn't have to ask for instructions either.

The wolf boy set to work carrying all the things that Leah had sent him out for, then started frying up some bacon, and scrambling eggs.

* * *

LPOV:

"Can you hand me that flashlight? It's right behind you, Jake."

Leah trained the beam on Bella's sore bottom, checking for injured tissue. "Uh-huh, looks like there are a few small tears—nothing major. So, Jake, that means you need to stay away from your sweetheart for that full five weeks. No fooling around."

Jacob scowled at her. "Why do you need to tell me that? Do I look stupid to you?"

She handed the flashlight back to Jacob. "No, you look like a guy."

"Jeez, why do you always think us guys are horn dogs. I'm not some animal, Lee. I won't hurt her. I can wait."

Applying a sanitary pad to catch the bloody discharge, Leah, pulled the blanket down to cover the new mother. "You don't have to get all pissy about it. I'm just warning you. That's my job."

"All right—I got the point," he huffed. Folding his arms across his chest, Jacob sighed, shaking his head. "Look … I'm sorry, Lee. I'm still pretty shook up about almost losing my son. These last twenty-four hours practically gave me gray hair."

Leah sat on the bed, and looking up at Jacob, smiled. "Apology accepted.

"Now let's see about Liam, here. After she looked over the little guy, she replaced the shoestring with an umbilical clamp, and declared, "He's perfect … and wet. Jake, there are diapers in that plastic container in the corner. You wanna begin your training as a dad?"

As he walked to the carton, Jacob grumbled, "You'd think I'd never diapered a baby before …"

Leah winked at Bella. "Ya gotta start 'em early."

Suddenly, her eyes widened. "All right! I smell breakfast."

There was a knock at the door.

"You can come in, Em," Bella said.

The door creaked open and in walked Embry. "Hey, guys, I brought food."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Home Sweet Home

Disclaimer: S. Meyer owns Twilight

* * *

LPOV:

They all finished eating, and Leah gave Bella last minute instructions in caring for the cord. She helped dress Liam in warm clothes and swaddled him in a blanket. She lifted him over her head, smiling at the little guy.

"He is so freakin' cute."

Jacob's chest puffed out. "Damn straight."

One eyebrow cocked. "Yeah … he looks just like Bella."

Bella and Leah chuckled at the look on his face. "Okay, Lee, you had your fun," he grumbled, "at my expense, as usual."

"Just kidding, Jake. He's the spitting image of you. He'll be one irresistible heart-breaker when he grows up.

"Okay, we gotta get moving here. My snow plow won't wait forever. Jake, you wanna hand Bella the clothes I brought for her? They're in the same box with the diapers."

* * *

While Bella got dressed, Leah, Jacob and Embry put out the fire in the living room hearth and cleaned the kitchen. As they finished up, they heard beeping outside. Quil had arrived with Jacob's truck. The bed was minus the elk antlers. Quil had given them to Hector for all his help, along with a haunch of the meat.

The guys packed all their belongings, and Quil returned the clothes he had borrowed, and the boots which cramped his toes for the last hour.

Jacob carefully assisted Bella into Leah's car, snuggled beside her in the back seat, and wrapped one arm protectively about her and the baby. Embry and Quil drove the other two vehicles, and Hector led the convoy through the snow crusted roads, and into La Push.

When the welcome sign appeared, Hector stopped, got out and waved them on, then turned the snow plow around, heading toward the maintenance yard at Forks.

* * *

Leah drove up to Jacob's rented cottage; Quil and Embry pulled up alongside her. Embry hopped down from the Jeep, and slapped his palm on the hood of Leah's car. Jacob rolled down the window.

"Hey, Jake, Quil and I are gonna leave the Jeep here." He jerked his thumb over his shoulder. "We'll take the Ram out to Omni's ranch and call the other guys to come help butcher the animals. You can stay here with your new baby. We can switch out the vehicles after we're done."

Giving him a thumbs up, Jacob said, "Sounds good."

Leah got out of the car, entering the modest home with the couple. She no sooner set foot in the door, than Sue came barreling up the driveway. Leah let her in the house.

Of course, in Sue Clearwater style, her arms were full of prepared food for their dinner. After she and Leah put all the perishables away, Sue made a beeline to Bella who was busy unbundling her little bundle.

"Aww, let me see that baby."

Leaning over the newborn, Sue gasped. "Oh, Bella. He's beautiful. He looks just like Jacob."

Jacob, smirking, glanced over at Leah, and replied. "Thank you."

An eye-roll accompanied Leah's next statement. "You're making his head swell, Mom."

"But I was there at Sarah's and saw Jacob when he was just a newborn. There's no mistaking it. He's your son all right."

* * *

CPOV:

In the meantime, early that afternoon, Charlie was home for lunch, sipping his coffee as he sat in his Lazy Boy, the Washington Gazette lying next to him on the side table. The TV was on, and he was catching up on the local news before heading back out to the police station.

Another avalanche up there on Bear Mountain … nothing unusual there. All at once, the coffee sloshed from the mug, spilling the hot contents, and he snorted the hot liquid through his nose, spewing it all over his uniform. There in living color, he saw a reporter sticking a mike in his daughter's face. He stood up, leaning his head forward, trying to look closer at the scene. Was that a baby she was holding?

Ignoring the mess, and the scalding heat burning through the front of his shirt, he listened intently on what Bella was saying. What was she thinking, going up on that mountain when his grandchild was due to be born in a few weeks? And what about Jacob? Was he nuts, letting her go with him? His face was purple, his blood boiling, and his mouth spurting out expletives worthy of an enraged marine.

Quickly turning off the TV, he marched into the kitchen, and phoned Billy.

"Hey, ol' man. Have you seen the news today?" he thundered.

"What news?"

"The news about the fact that your son took my daughter up to Bear Mountain in the middle of winter knowing full well that she could make us grandpas at any minute."

"Is that right? Well you listen to me, Charlie. I've got news for you too. Jacob just called here, and Bella will be calling _you_ in the next few moments, so get a grip. And … I believe it was Bella that insisted on joining the hunting party. My son did his damnedest to reason with her, but she refused the advice, stubborn girl that she is. I wonder who she takes after, eh? Oh, and Charlie—congratulations, grandpa!"

As he hung up the phone, Charlie's normal coloring returned, and his blood pressure leveled out. It suddenly dawned on him … he was a grandpa. Bella and Jacob had been through a lot, and who was he to scold them. He should've known better. His Bella always did have a stubborn streak.

He sat down on a kitchen chair, the thought of being a grandfather pleasantly wafting about in his brain. His thoughts were interrupted two minutes later, when the phone rang. It was Bella.

* * *

The soiled uniform was tossed in the washer, and he changed into a flannel shirt, and jeans. He let his deputy know his intentions. "Hi, Trent. I won't be back this afternoon. I've gotta go see my new grandson. Uh-huh … how 'bout that? I saw it too. Leave it to Bella to have a baby in the midst of a blizzard. Yeah … see you tomorrow."

Charlie floated out the door, and hopped aboard his cruiser, on his way to La Push and that little bundle of joy.

* * *

BPOV:

My gosh, she was so tired, talking to her mom, other callers on the phone, and the people that kept streaming through the door. She welcomed Billy and Charlie, but when they left, more visitors showed up. Jacob finally told her to lie down. He kept Liam by his side for his adoring fans to gawk at.

There were more than visitors to the house. Several trucks showed up with baby supplies from the sponsors of KTAC, and KQUI … diapers, toys, a baby monitor, carriage, high chair, and enough clothes to last him a year.

* * *

That night during the wee hours, after Bella had finished nursing Liam, Jacob took the baby from her, and walked out to the living room. She had fallen asleep again, but was awakened to the sound of someone quietly singing. Turning toward Jacob's side of the bed, she reached out, but felt nothing. It was empty, and that usual warmth that always permeated his sheets was missing.

In her bare feet, she tiptoed to the other room. Squinting, she could just make out Jacob in the dim light from the moon, with his son securely in his arms, crooning a lullaby in Quileute. She stayed a few moments, watching and listening, not wanting to break the beautiful spell between father and child. Bella went back to bed, locking that scene safe within her heart.

* * *

Fast forward two years:

It was deer hunting season once again, and a déjà vu of that disastrous trip that nearly scarred poor Embry for life. Bella was waddling around the house, getting closer to delivering a brother or sister for Liam.

This time at the dinner table when the discussion came up as to who should be in the hunting party, they both simultaneously said, "I think we should send Paul."

Early that Saturday, Quil, Embry and Paul set out into the mountains for some elk or deer. And that very evening, Bella gave birth to a baby girl. They named their little _dear_, Sarah Renee.

_The End_


End file.
